al-Zawahri, a supporter of ousted President Mohammed Morsi and leader of a Jihadi Salafist group, was arrested at a Giza checkpoint west of Cairo on Saturday, according to a security official.

The high-profile arrest comes amid a massive crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood members by the interim Egyptian government. As supporters of Morsi have taken to the streets, hundreds have been killed in violent clashes throughout the country.

The younger brother of the al Qaeda chief, Mohammed al-Zawahri has denied being involved with the terror group his brother now leads. He was however, a founding member of Egyptian Islamic Jihad with Ayman — a group that eventually merged with al Qaeda.